I just finished reading Steve Job's biography by Walter Isaacson which I highly recommend. I like top 10 lists so I compiled the biggest lessons I took away from his impressive accomplishments: 1. Put Design First Most companies design around engineering constraints. At Apple, design was first, like designing the computer case first and having engineering make the components fit. I thought of the many times I’ve heard designers get pushback on their designs because of “feasibility issues”. If we’re going to create great products, let’s rise up to the challenge of figuring out how to implement the best designs we can think of with a can-do attitude. 2. Put Products Before Profits Steve Jobs’ describes his passion as “to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products. Everything else was secondary.” There are numerous examples where Apple put products befo...
This article was first published on LinkedIn . Quincy Jones was arguably the most influential and successful music producer of our generation. When he passed away in 2024, he left an indelible mark on the music, film, and television industries—one that will likely never be rivaled. His career spanned multiple musical generations and genres, and he collaborated with some of the greatest artists of all time, including Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson. Along the way, he amassed an astonishing 28 Grammy Awards, solidifying his place as a true legend. Beyond his musical genius, Quincy Jones was a leader whose legacy offers valuable lessons for anyone seeking to inspire, innovate, and excel. Here are four of the most impactful leadership lessons we can learn from him. ...
Recently I’ve gotten a few questions on the Intuit Christian Action Network (ICAN) so I thought I’d fill you in. Intuit believes that having a diverse and inclusive workplace is a strategic advantage. Having a diverse and inclusive work environment means fostering a culture that enables all employees to bring their whole selves to work. We use the iceberg metaphor to describe our whole selves – yes there are the obvious visible traits like race and gender; but below the surface are much more profound elements of who we are. At Intuit, we celebrate all of these. Employees no longer have to spend time hiding aspects of who they are when they check in to work. Instead, they can focus on the work at hand with the security of knowing that Intuit values their diversity. Diverse teams are often stronger performing teams because we arrive at better results when we can take advantage of different perspectives. Inclusion is the wonderful thing that happens when you value diversity. You sto...